The Concept is a set of opinions and ideas as regards the content, principles and main areas of activity by the Russian Federation with regard to migration.
The Concept was developed in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal constitutional laws, federal laws and other regulations and documents on strategic planning in the Russian Federation, as well as the generally recognised principles and norms of international law and Russia’s obligations under international agreements on migration.
The Concept contains seven sections. In addition to general provisions, these include conditions for the formation and implementation of Russia’s state migration policy; the goals, principles, objectives and key areas of this policy; international cooperation in this area; information analysis and basic mechanisms and stages for implementing Russia’s state migration policy.
The main directions for Russia’s state migration policy are: helping Russian compatriots living abroad to resettle in Russia and facilitating the return of emigrants, as well as promoting the immigration of qualified specialists and other foreign workers needed on the Russian labour market; creating conditions for immigration to Russia by entrepreneurs and investors; and simplifying entry and residence in the Russian Federation for foreign citizens doing business in Russia.
The Concept also defines measures for promoting the development of internal migration by Russian citizens.
The Russian Federation will engage in migration-related international cooperation through the following steps: broadening cooperation with international organisations for migration and making use of their potential; creating conditions for free transit and employment of citizens in accordance with international agreements; developing common approaches to readmission of citizens from third-party nations; and signing international agreements on migration that promote the flow of foreign investment into Russia.
The Concept contemplates three stages for implementing Russia’s state migration policy.
The first stage (2012–2015) includes, in particular, developing and adopting corresponding regulations of the Russian Federation, ensuring the implementation of goals, objectives, and the main directions of state migration policy; developing and certifying corresponding programmes; creating infrastructure for the integration and adaptation of migrant workers, including information and legal support centres and courses in Russian language, history and culture; and conducting sampling studies that include questions on internal and international migration.
The second stage (2016–2020) includes adopting programmes to implement the main areas of Russia’s state migration policy; implementing and monitoring the adopted programmes; summarising and analysing law enforcement practice for adopted regulations; broadening the use of information technologies to analyse the migration situation and support Russia’s state migration policy.
It is assumed that the migration outflow of Siberian and Far Eastern residents will stop after the second stage.
The third stage (2021–2025) will include assessing the efficacy of implementing the adopted programmes; clarifying the main strategic directions, priorities and primary trends in implementing Russia’s state migration policy and the adjustment of corresponding programmes.
It is assumed that the implementation of the third stage will result in a migration inflow to the Siberian and Far Eastern regions by 2026.